US Congressman, US Senator. Elected to represent Alabama's 6th District in the United States House of Representatives, serving from 1887 to 1907. Also served as a Member of the Alabama State House of Representatives from 1865 to 1867, and 1881 to 1885, Member of the Alabama State Senate from 1876 to 1877, Delegate to the Democratic National Convention from Alabama in 1912, United States Senator from Alabama from 1907 until his death in 1920, and served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War.